


The Party

by WorryinglyInnocent



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Exhibitionism, F/M, First Meeting, NSFW, Rumbelle - Freeform, Voyeurism, background Dwarf Star, background Sea Devil, background mad scarlet queen, background ruby slippers, please read the notes carefully
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-09 02:52:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14707746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorryinglyInnocent/pseuds/WorryinglyInnocent
Summary: Looking for a safe way in which to indulge her voyeuristic fantasies, Belle French accepts an invitation to a discreet adult party at a trusted friend’s house. Although she does not intend to participate in any of the acts she witnesses, her desire to remain on the sidelines begins to change when she meets another enigmatic guest who prefers to watch…Please read the notes at the beginning of the story carefully to avoid unexpected squicks or unwarranted put-offs.





	The Party

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, there’s a lot going on in this fic so please read the notes carefully as I don’t want anyone to get squicked unexpectedly or get put off unnecessarily:
> 
> Voyeurism. Exhibitionism. Outdoor sex. Watching porn. Sex party ( **not** the key party/partner swapping type). M/M/F threesome (Belle and Gold don’t participate). Brief BDSM scene with a collared sub (Belle and Gold don’t participate). Belle and Gold only engage in sex with each other.
> 
> Full list of relationships can be found in the tags.

Belle looks out of the taxi window at the majestic house sitting at the top of a long driveway. She knows that she’s going to have to make a decision about whether to get out or not soon; she can’t keep sitting here in the dark with the meter running forever.

There are lights on in the house, some dim, some brighter, in almost every room, but the drapes are all drawn and the curtains are thick and luxurious so there’s not much chance of seeing what’s going on inside from down here on the road.

“Miss?” The taxi driver looks back over his shoulder expectantly.

“Just one more moment,” Belle says. She looks back down at the invitation in her hand, expensive card with beautifully curlicued handwriting.  _You are cordially invited to a private gathering._  There’s nothing overtly suggestive about it, but then the suggestion had already happened before she received Jefferson’s invitation. He likes having invitations, so that he can be absolutely sure that everyone who arrives is meant to be there and there will be no unwelcome visitors. It’s the kind of gathering where trust is of the utmost importance, and everyone has to know almost everyone else.

Belle takes a deep breath and rummages in her purse for a couple of bills with which to pay the driver before she gets out of the car. She stands at the bottom of the drive staring up at the place for a long time after he’s driven off, and for the briefest of moments, she wonders if she’s made the wrong decision and she should call him straight back.

In the end, she doesn’t, and she begins to take measured steps up the driveway towards the front door and whatever might be waiting for her behind it. Ultimately, she trusts Jefferson and she knows that he would never put her in a situation where she might be uncomfortable without giving her some kind of get-out clause.

It’s her first time attending a gathering like this, so he will have made sure that her experience is going to be a good one.

Belle presses the doorbell and waits, thinking about how she first came to be standing here in quiet anticipation in the first place. It’s a long story, a strange little course of events. She’d been out with Jefferson, Will and Ana, and somehow the topic of relationships had come up. Jefferson is a perpetual bachelor and Belle doesn’t think that he will ever change, enjoying the dating life too much, but she knows that Will and Ana have invited him to make up a trio with them on more than one occasion. The relationship between the three of them is incredibly close and not always definable, but as long as they’re all happy, who is Belle to judge?

X

_“We need to get Belle laid,” Jefferson says plainly, making Belle blush and stir the ice cubes in her drink with rather more force than was strictly necessary._

_“I’m ok, really,” she mumbles._

_“Come on, you can’t really like playing gooseberry like this,” Jefferson replies, nodding over to Will and Ana, who are incredibly engrossed in each other and not paying all that much attention to the rest of their surroundings, playing footsie under the bar, eyes smouldering and promising at any moment to grab Jefferson by the collar and haul him off into bed._

_Belle averts her eyes, staring hard into the depths of her Long Island Iced Tea and trying not to watch what’s going on and alert Jefferson to the truth. The fact remains, she does enjoy playing gooseberry. Ever since she can remember, Belle has always enjoyed watching these acts play out far more than she has enjoyed participating in them. Sex does indeed have the potential to be amazing, she will be the first to say that, but she will also be the first to say that it really does depend entirely on the person. There needs to be a connection, and Belle has yet to find it._

_What she really needs, she thinks, is someone who understands her own kink and perhaps feels it just as strongly. She needs to find someone who likes to watch just as much as she does, who knows how it feels, that rush of excitement at the visual._

_She’s always thought that it would prove easier than it has done. They always say that men are more turned on by the visual and women by the physical and psychological, which is perhaps why she has always felt herself to be something of an oddity, liking to watch more than to feel._

_It’s a tendency that almost got her into trouble in her teen years, when her father had found her stash of pornography by accident. In the end though, he accepted that at least if she was getting a kick out of watching it rather than experimenting with the real thing, then she wasn’t about to get pregnant or catch something nasty._

_She continues to stare into the drink, feeling the heat continuing to rise in her face and refuse to die away. When she does eventually look up, pointedly avoiding looking at Will and Ana, she sees that Jefferson has a most curious expression on his face._

_Belle raises an eyebrow._

_“What are you looking at me like that for?”_

_“You’re a sly one, Belle,” he says, but there’s humour in his voice rather than any kind of malice or chastisement._

_Belle lifts her chin in challenge. “In what way am I sly?”_

_“I think you rather enjoy playing gooseberry in your own little way.”_

_“I’m not hurting anyone,” Belle says. If her friends choose to display their affection in public, then they’re aware that people will be watching them. It’s not as if she’s spying on them in private. When they leave the public sphere, that’s when Belle goes home to her DVDs and the company of her own sticky fingers._

_“I never for a moment believed that you were,” Jefferson assures her. “You can’t get much gratification out of it here, though, can you?”_

_“Jefferson…” Belle knows that having this discussion here in the middle of a bar is not really the place she’d like to have it. Ideally she wouldn’t like to have it at all. She grabs her purse, slipping down off the stool she’s been perched on, her drink hardly touched. “This isn’t…”_

_Appropriate? What is the word she’s searching for? She’s embarrassed enough at having her kink outed like this, she doesn’t need Jefferson to make it worse._

_“Poppet,” Jefferson says, and his face is earnest, his voice losing the teasing tone that it had held before. “I really don’t like the thought of you ending up unsatisfied.”_

_“I’m fine, Jefferson, really, and this isn’t really a conversation that we should be having in public in the middle of a bar!”_

_He looks around and concedes the point, then gets off his own stool and nods towards the exit. Will and Ana don’t notice them leave, but the relationship and friendship between the four of them has always been an easy and casual one. There’ll be no animosity for having left without saying goodbye._

_The night air is cool and it helps to clear Belle’s head._

_“Belle, do you want to come to a party?” Jefferson asks outright._

_Belle has heard tell among their wider circle of friends about Jefferson’s parties. She’s always avoided them thus far, not knowing whether her particular brand of desire would be welcome in such a place. She’s never asked him about them, and he’s never volunteered the information. They’re an urban legend. Everyone knows, but no-one has first-hand experience. Well, someone must do, or else there wouldn’t be a legend to start with._

_“You don’t have to do anything,” Jefferson assures her. “No-one will make you do anything that you don’t want to do. But wouldn’t it be nice for you to be able to watch the real thing for once?”_

_Belle licks her lips involuntarily. It would be wonderful to watch the real thing instead of imagining it and going home to on-screen encounters that are sometimes disappointing in their sterility. There’s none of the magic of real life in pornography. Everything plays to a script. You can’t see the deeper feelings involved, because there aren’t any. It’s meant to look appealing, and it does, but the intimacy is such a vital part of sex that it just doesn’t look right. It doesn’t look how Belle feels that sex in real life should look, based on her own experiences._

_She almost made a tape once, but her boyfriend at the time wasn’t keen on the idea, even though she would be the only one to see it. Yes, Belle would give anything to watch the real thing._

_“Is that all right?” she asks. “Would I be welcome?”_

_Jefferson nods and points back at the door to the bar. “Consider how handsy Will and Ana can get in public with their clothes on.”_

_“Yes, but that’s very different to having someone watch you get naked and fuck,” Belle says, frustrated. “There’s a reason why actors have closed film sets when they’re doing love scenes. And they’re not even actually doing it.”_

_“I wouldn’t mind,” Jefferson says. The bald statement makes Belle look up at him sharply._

_“Are you sure, Jefferson?”_

_“Of course I’m sure. I’d consider it a compliment if watching my delectable flexing backside made you horny.”_

_Belle bursts out into a fit of giggles. Only Jefferson could put her at ease like that._

_“It’s not an orgy, no matter what some members of our upstanding community might tell you,” Jefferson says. “I know how the rumours get passed around, especially among the nuns who’ve never been entirely supportive of the arrangement that Will, Ana and I have. Goodness knows I’ve donated enough to their charitable causes over the years, but apparently there are some things that are too much even for nuns.”_

_Belle gives another snort of laughter and bats at her friend’s arm. “Jeff! I’m trying to be serious here!”_

_“Yes, so am I, but seriousness was never a very good colour on me, I ought to try something else.” He clears his throat theatrically. “It’s not an orgy,” he repeats. “But it’s not exactly everyone shut up in their own little rooms not interacting either. Let’s just say that you wouldn’t be alone, and your presence would likely not be commented on, except by someone asking if you wanted to join in. Which of course you’re welcome to do if you so wish. You’ll know almost all of them by acquaintance anyway and I can vouch for the one or two you might not. They’re all lovely people and I have it on good authority that they have very satisfying sex lives.”_

_“Jeff!” Belle’s still in stitches, and Jefferson just looks on, amused._

_“I’ll send you an invitation,” he says. “It’s entirely up to you whether or not you want to take me up on it.”_

_He goes back into the bar, and Belle stands outside for a little while longer, thinking about what he said. It really would be good to see things first hand for once, and she’s been intrigued to find out a little bit more about Jefferson’s famous and secretive parties for a long time now._

_Perhaps this could be the start of something._

X

Belle looks down again at the invitation in her hand. The heavy card had been accompanied by a printed list of house rules to ensure everyone has a good time and stays safe.

_Knock and wait before entering any closed doors._

_For hygiene reasons, the kitchen and downstairs bathroom are only to be used for their intended purpose._

_No alcohol. I accept no responsibility if you decide to pre-drink._

_No glass, plates, or other kitchenware by the pool._

_Stay safe, sane and consensual!_

Belle puts the list away. She had considered a glass of wine before coming out as Dutch courage, but she would rather be in full control of her faculties at all times, and she knows that the slight fuzziness from the alcohol might impair her enjoyment of whatever might happen inside.

She rings the doorbell again, wondering if she left it too late to come out and they’ve all started without her, and she’ll be left outside in the cold all night, wondering what might have been. She spent so long dithering over whether or not to actually come that in the end, she didn’t know whether she was coming or going until she found herself inside the taxi.

She’s got dressed up and done her hair and make-up for the occasion, and even though she’s not anticipating anyone seeing it, she’s wearing her nicest underwear set. It would be a shame for her to go to all this trouble and then chicken out at the last moment and not actually get anywhere with it.

Belle hears footsteps on the other side of the door, and then Jefferson appears, looking every inch a lothario in a silk robe cinched rather loosely at the waist. His face breaks into a beaming smile when he sees her, taking the square of card and throwing his arms around her, kissing her on each cheek and ushering her into the house.

“You came!” he exclaims. “I was beginning to give up all hope of you ever arriving. I thought you’d decided to stay at home with your lacklustre DVDs after all.”

“Well, I thought that I would come and see what it was like,” Belle says, letting him take her coat and put it in the hall closet. “After all, you always need to try everything once to see if you like it. Do the brave thing, and bravery will follow.”

Jefferson is heading towards the staircase, and Belle follows him hesitantly.

“Am I the last to arrive?” she asks.

“I’m waiting on one more, but I don’t think that he’s going to show at this stage,” Jefferson says. “Carrie or Ursula can let him in if he does arrive. It was a long shot extending the invitation, but since I’d invited you, I thought I might as well invite Aiden as well, since he’s the only other person I know with tastes that run akin to yours.”

Belle’s heart does a little flip. Jefferson has another friend into voyeurism? How did she not know this before? Why hasn’t he introduced them? Then again, Jefferson has only known about her kink for a week and a half and presumably this Aiden fellow was just as reticent about it as she had been herself.

“Aiden?” she asks, trying not to sound too intrigued by the mention.

“Yes, Aiden Gold.”

Belle knows Mr Gold, if only in passing. He has an antique shop on the edge of town, but she’s never been in. It’s far out of her price range, but it’s well within Jefferson’s, and he’s mentioned the place a few times as having some really exquisite and undoubtedly genuine pieces in there. She hadn’t realised that Jefferson was such good friends with its proprietor.

Aiden Gold. Now she has a name to a face.

“Make yourself at home,” Jefferson says, gesturing around his house. It’s not the first time Belle’s been in here by any manner or means, but it’s certainly the first in these very special circumstances. She wonders if she’s going to be able ever to view it in the same way again after this. “Will, Ana and I were just about to start, and you’d be very welcome to join us.”

Belle nods, and continues to follow him along the landing to the master bedroom. Some of the other rooms are definitely occupied, their doors ajar and showing the briefest glimpse of the heady deeds taking place inside, and she can hear the sounds of sex all around her. There’ll be time enough to explore later. For now, she’ll stick with what she knows.

“Hey Belle.” Ana waves lazily from the bed as Jefferson and Belle enter the room, dimly lit with candles. She doesn’t seem at all concerned for the fact she’s completely naked, stretched out languidly on Jefferson’s silk sheets without a care in the world. “We weren’t sure that you’d come.”

“I nearly didn’t,” Belle admits. There’s a small easy chair in the corner of the room, nice and unobtrusive but still with a good view of what’s happening on the bed, and she settles herself in it, crossing her legs. She can already feel a certain heat beginning to build in anticipation of what’s to come.

“Well, I’m glad you did, and I hope you have a good time.” Ana winks saucily. “Enjoy the show. I know I’m going to.”

Jefferson has since discarded his robe and got on the bed with Ana, kissing her neck and shoulder and playing with one of her nipples. Ana leans into the touch, eyes closed, smile on her face. Belle wonders what it would be like to have two lovers at once, two sets of hands, two mouths, two tongues, two cocks… It’s overwhelming just to think about, and she thinks she’ll stick with one at a time for now.

Will comes out of the bathroom and looks a little surprised to find Belle sitting there when she had obviously not been there before, but just shrugs and says hello, before Ana pulls him down onto the bed by the waistband of his boxers and plants a fierce, possessive kiss on him.

It’s very clear that this is not the first time all three of them have been in bed together and they have certain little ways of communicating. Belle is immediately rapt. As Jefferson had said, the real thing is so much better than what she can get on a screen. She can see the connection, it feels real and charged, electric in its intensity. There’s something in Ana’s groans of arousal that can’t be faked, and it’s so clear that both men are completely focussed on giving her the ultimate pleasure, working together with perhaps just a hint of friendly rivalry, trying to one-up each other.

They’re just so into it, and in spite of Belle’s fears, it’s clear that they don’t really care about her presence in the room. They’re far too occupied with what they’re all doing to each other to care about her, silently watching them and feeling the heat rise in her thighs, not because she’s particularly attracted to them – although they are pretty people – but because of what they’re doing and the fact she’s so close and it looks so wonderful.

They’re lost in pleasure and so is Belle, and suddenly everything’s a riot of kissing and touching and the slightly synthetic scent of cherry-flavoured lubricant as Jefferson works a finger into Ana’s ass. Her long fingernails have left marks on Will’s skin which he’s wearing as proudly as love bites as he rubs at her clit, bringing her closer and closer to the edge.

Belle notices when the balance of light in the room changes, and she glances up at the door to see someone else entering, silhouetted in the light from the landing outside.

She doesn’t know the man personally, but she’d recognise Mr Gold anywhere, in his impeccable three-piece suit and tie and greying hair. His eyes are dark as he pulls the door back ajar, his gaze never leaving the threesome on the bed. Belle can immediately tell that he’s a kindred spirit, and she finds herself watching him more than she’s watching Will, Ana and Jefferson. She doesn’t even know if they’ve noticed that there’s another presence in the room, but if they’re quite happy to carry on, then all the better for them.

Ana’s keening moan draws Belle’s attention back to the bed as she comes, her back arching and her legs quivering, Will and Jefferson’s hands all over her. She’s panting, and Belle feels like she’s just run a marathon herself. Even as they continue to kiss and caress and begin to move towards the next round, fumbling and lining up, Belle finds her attention drawn back to the other watcher in the room. Gold moves silently over the plush carpet, coming to her stand by her side, and she pulls her gaze away from him, focusing on the lovers instead as Ana comes back to herself and rolls over, pushing Will onto his back and sinking down onto his cock.

Nevertheless, she can feel him looking at her. Maybe he can feel it too, the sense that in some little way, they are the same, and they’re here for the same purpose – to find their pleasure from seeing other people find theirs. The knowledge of his eyes on her makes the hairs on the back of Belle’s neck stand on end, but it’s a good feeling, a frisson of excitement rather than fear. Watching and being watched have always been closely intertwined in her mind, and although she doesn’t know that she could do something like Will, Ana and Jefferson are doing with an audience, the fact that she’s watching them whilst being watched herself presents all kinds of interesting possibilities in her mind.

Belle realises she’s lost her concentration and her mind is miles away, as Jefferson has joined in the action, his cock moving in Ana’s ass as she rides Will. All three of them are coated in sweat and breathing hard, and Belle’s tongue darts out over her lips.

Involuntarily, she finds herself glancing over at Gold. He’s watching the scene on the bed and seems to be ignoring her presence beside him, but then, sure enough, he can feel her eyes on him and he looks over. Their gazes meet and there’s a moment of recognition, not on any personal or social level but at a more primal one. They both know that they’re here for the same reason, and that links them in a way, despite the fact they can’t have spoken more than ten words to each other in all the time they have been living in the same town.

All of a sudden, what is unspoken becomes too loud and too much, and they break away, both of them looking away and then looking back over at the bed, as if embarrassed by the intensity of the feelings that had passed between them in that one brief moment.

All the same, Belle can still feel his closeness, even if she can no longer feel his eyes on her. He’s not close enough for her to reach out and touch, but he’s still close enough to be a part of her side of the tableau. Her and Gold out here on the periphery, and Will, Ana and Jefferson right in the heart of the action. They are the outside looking in, and they are both perfectly content with that.

Things are coming to a close, if the sounds that the lovers are making is anything to go by. There’s nothing coherent, just grunting and groans and the slide of wet skin on skin, movements becoming quick and frantic as they all build up towards that glorious peak and follow each other over in quick succession.

Belle feels almost the same rush as they do, and then there’s just stillness and panting as limbs are untangled and soft kisses exchanged, sweaty hair pushed back out of the way. Belle finds herself glancing over at Gold again, perhaps to gauge his reaction to what he’s just witnessed. A small part of her wonders if he’s as aroused by the sight as she is. It would certainly be a lot more obvious in him than her, but she doesn’t drop her gaze from his face to his trousers. His expression is unreadable, but she certainly thinks that he is not unimpressed by what he’s seen.

Then Gold’s eyes flicker to hers, and the unspoken link between them is wrought once more. He breaks it quickly with an embarrassed little cough, and he leaves the room without another word. Perhaps he’s not as interested in the afterglow as Belle is, only invested in the act itself. He’s an enigma, and as Belle realises just how much time she spent thinking about him and not the scene in front of her, she also realises just how much she wants to find out more about this mysterious man.

Jefferson rolls out of bed in an extremely ungainly manner, mumbling something about getting water and sustenance before they go for round two, and he gives Belle a sleepy and thoroughly fucked smile as he grabs his robe and passes her on his way out. So far, she’s glad she came. It’s certainly been an intense experience, and it’s definitely not one that she could have got from her TV back home.

Ana pulls herself away from Will’s kisses along her neck and jaw and looks over towards Belle.

“It might be a while before anything else happens,” she says. “Do you want to get in and pass the time?”

Belle shakes her head. “No, thank you. You’re wonderful to watch, but participation’s not my thing.”

Ana shrugs. “Fair enough.”

Belle wonders about Mr Gold. Maybe it’s the fact that she knows him in passing that makes him all the more mysterious, rather than a complete stranger she’s never met. She knows so little about him that she can’t honestly say she hadn’t had him down as the type that would like to watch. She doesn’t know enough to make a judgment one way or the other. But the fact that he’s around in the town, and she knows him by sight, and now he’s here and there’s the opportunity to get to know him a little better.

Well, he was here, but now he’s vanished. She wonders if she can track him down again. It’s not that big a house, after all. Surely he wouldn’t have just vanished into the night without actually speaking to his host. There should be plenty of time to find him, and in the process, Belle can do a little exploration. She gets up from her chair and gives Will and Ana a wave as she leaves the room, going to see what’s happening elsewhere in the house.

The second bedroom door is closed with a little note taped to it.

_BDSM scene inside, collared and leashed sub. Please knock and wait._

That, Belle knows, will be Ruby and Dorothy. She knows that they enjoy a BDSM relationship, although they never play outside of the house. She’s been intrigued to find out what they do for a little while now, and this is her chance to see that other part of their life in action. She taps on the door cautiously, and hears footsteps.

A familiar bespectacled face peers around the door and smiles.

“Hey Belle. Jefferson said he’d invited you. Do you want to have a peep?”

“Who is it?” Dorothy calls from inside.

“Belle,” Archie says over his shoulder.

“Hey Belle. Come on in if you want.”

Archie takes a step back and closes the door after Belle. He’s been Ruby’s ace best friend for as long as Belle can remember, and he’s been acting as a helper in her and Dorothy’s BDSM games for just as long. He’s never had any desire to participate, he’s just here to act as a supervisor and gatekeeper whilst they’re here at the party with other people milling about. Having him there means that they can concentrate on their playtime, and not worry about the uninformed walking in on them.

Ruby’s on her hands and knees, delicate collar and leash around her neck as Dorothy traces the tip of a riding crop over her bright red ass cheeks.

“You can say hello to Belle, sweetie,” she croons, and Ruby grins up at the newcomer.

“Hello Belle.”

“Hey Rubes. I’m going to go now, I just wanted to, you know… Have a look.”

“You’re welcome.” Dorothy tickles Ruby with the crop again and her ass wriggles in delight. Belle bites her tongue to stop her giggling; she doesn’t want to put either of them off their stride, and Archie lets her back out.

Belle wonders if he finds it strange, being here at a party where everyone is having sex when he himself has absolutely no desire to, but she supposes that there needs to be at least one person who’s not addled by lust keeping an eye on the proceedings.

The thought makes her smile and she thinks about the various erotic novels she’s read in her time, and the orgies with varying degrees of realism. Maybe they all had an ace looking after them, making sure they stayed hydrated and no-one keeled over from exhaustion. She imagines Archie tucking everyone into bed when the party ends, going around and switching all the lights off. For all she knows, he might well do that.

Another door is ajar, inviting her in, and she peeps around it. There’s no bed in here; it’s a home office, and she can’t really see what’s going on as the action is all going on behind the chair. There’s a pair of female legs hiked over the arms and a hand braced over the back, and someone else is kneeling in front of them.

The fact that she can’t see either of their faces gives Belle a little bit of a thrill, and she steps inside, feeling no desire to find out who’s in here just yet, focusing on the breathy little gasps of pleasure and the toes curling. Whoever’s down there certainly knows what they’re doing with their mouth, and despite being unable to see anything, Belle finds herself cupping her mound through her clothes and grinding up against the heel of her hand to take the edge off.

The woman in the chair comes with a squeal and Belle feels a shiver of her own pulse through her veins with the sound. She stays in the doorway, just watching as the legs and hand move out of sight again, and then a familiar face peers around the back of the chair. Astrid is looking very pink and very happy, and she giggles when she sees Belle in the doorway.

“Hello Belle. Jefferson said that you might be coming.”

Leroy’s eyes peep out from behind Astrid then quickly hide away again, but Astrid doesn’t seem too perturbed by this.

“How are you finding it?” she asks Belle. “It’s your first time, isn’t it?”

Belle nods. “It’s been interesting so far. I’m glad that Jefferson invited me. Do you know who else is here?”

“Jefferson and Ana and Will, obviously. Carrie and Ursula are about somewhere as well. Ruby and Dorothy and Archie. Ariel and Eric couldn’t make it. I think Jefferson’s probably glad about that in the long run, they must have cost him a fortune in the water bill last time they were here.”

“And Gold,” Leroy adds from behind the chair. “He looked in earlier for a minute. He seemed kind of lost.”

Belle thinks of the moment they shared back in the master bedroom, and she has to wonder a little.

“I’m glad you’re having a good time,” Astrid continues. “It’s only our second time. We got scared the first time and shut ourselves away in a bedroom. But we wanted to be a bit more adventurous today.”

Considering Astrid and Leroy are one of the sweetest and least adventurous couples that Belle knows, she’s amazed that they’re here in the first place. Still, they’ve obviously found a level that they’re comfortable with, a part of the action but not too big a part, and they can always hide themselves away if it all gets too much. It’s probably best to leave them alone now, and let them decide what they want to do next without an audience.

“I’ll see you around,” she says as she makes to leave the room, leaving the door a little ajar as she had found it. “Have fun.”

“You too, Belle.”

Her exploration still hasn’t turned up any sign of Gold, and she wonders where he might have got to. There’s nothing more in the upstairs rooms so she moves downstairs in search of Carrie and Ursula. There are definite noises coming from the living room and she slips inside. There’s a soft porno playing on the TV, and Carrie and Ursula are sprawled on the sofa, half-watching it, casually feeling each other up and teasing but not going any further. Well, Belle thinks, her mind returning to Archie, someone probably has to stay a little more coherent to make sure that everything goes smoothly and there are no strange mishaps.

Ursula notices Belle’s presence and waves her over to an unoccupied chair. Belle takes a glance at the TV; the film is a fantasy-based one, an overly bosomed princess in a tower and an overly muscled man climbing up to rescue her. Belle knows the drill, she’s watched enough such movies in her time to know that it will end with the princess offering her wares to the knight as a reward for rescuing her. It’s almost formulaic, but sometimes there’s a comfort in the familiar. Belle’s not seen this particular film before. It’s always surprised her just how much porn is available on the market, but given how lucrative an industry it is, perhaps she shouldn’t be quite so shocked by it. She herself owns more than enough to keep it going for a while.

It’s not really turning her on as much as it might do if she was at home, not when she knows that there are real people elsewhere in the house who are happy for her to watch them, and not when she has tasked herself with solving the mystery of Mr Gold. Her eyes wander away from the TV and towards Carrie and Ursula as Carrie’s hand creeps up under Ursula’s top, earning her a satisfied smirk.

“You know, we could take this upstairs,” she points out. “Everyone who was invited is here now, so it’s not like we have to wait to let anyone in for Jefferson.”

“True,” Carrie says, and she appears to be giving the suggestion serious thought. “However, taking it upstairs requires movement, and I’m rather comfortable where I am at the moment. We could just stay here and there would be no need to tackle the stairs.”

“You make it sound like you’re a decrepit old woman with a zimmer frame.”

“Compared to some of the young things here, I am,” Carrie says. She winks at Belle. “Are you all right, darling? You seem a little bit lost. I can understand that your first time can be a little bit overwhelming, but no-one’s going to bite you. Well, at least not unless you ask them to.”

“Carrie, I really don’t think that you’re being very reassuring there.”

Belle gives a snort of laughter. The irony that they should say she looked lost, and that Leroy had said that Gold had looked lost. Maybe they were both lost, invited here for the first time by an exuberant friend wanting to help them out, and both feeling not exactly out of their depth, but a little out of place.

“I was looking for someone,” Belle says, hoping that she sounds nonchalant and not too desperate.

“Ah, yes.” Carrie gives her a knowing smile. “Would this someone happen to be the enigmatic and secretive Mr Gold, by any chance?”

Belle feels her colour rise. “Well…”

“He doesn’t bite either,” Carrie says. “He might seem rather aloof at times, but that’s just his way. He’s really quite different once you get to know him, however standoffish he might seem.” There’s a pause, and Carrie looks rather scheming. “You know, I think it’s very fortuitous that both of you should be here for the first time tonight. I’ve been trying to get Aiden to consider coming here for ages now, and now that he’s finally here, you’re here too. I really think you’d suit each other.”

Belle nods unsurely. “Yes. Jefferson said the same thing.”

“Jefferson’s always been good at reading people,” Ursula says sagely. “I think you might want to follow through, if you are considering it. And since you’re looking for him, I would say that you were considering it.”

“I don’t know what I’m considering.” She didn’t really come to the party looking for anything in particular, just in the hope that she could scratch her peculiar itch in a safe environment. That she has happened to meet someone who might share her kink is an unexpected bonus that she doesn’t quite know what to do with.

“I think you’ll have better luck in the kitchen,” Carrie says. “See what you can find in there.”

Over on the screen, the damsel in distress at the top of her tower is now naked on all fours with the knight pumping into her from behind. That rescue didn’t take too long, then. Belle decides to take Carrie and Ursula’s advice, and she leaves the room, going into the kitchen.

As requested in Jefferson’s list of rules, this is a room untouched by sex, but still clearly catering for a sex party. There are several bottles of water and juice neatly lined up on the side, with some bowls of fresh fruit and trays of bitesize canapes, and plenty of napkins. It’s a functional set up, not inviting any kind of food kinks but designed to make sure that the people here take care of themselves and stay hydrated in the midst of what is likely going to be a very energetic night for all of them.

Belle helps herself to some water and turns her attention to the only other occupant of the room. As Carrie and Ursula had predicted, Gold is in here. He’s standing by the window, looking out at the dark garden and the eerie glow of the pool lights, and Belle can see that he’s holding a cup of tea. It just seems so out of place, drinking tea in the midst of all this hedonistic pleasure, and she gives a soft huff of laughter.

Gold hears her and turns, the hint of a smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

“Hello there.”

“Hello. Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. It’s just… the tea.”

Gold looks down at the cup. “Yes. I do realise I’m probably not really entering into the true spirit of the occasion.”

“It’s ok. Whatever makes you comfortable.” Belle pauses. “It’s my first time too.”

Gold smiles properly then, and he looks rather relieved. In truth, Belle is too. They can both be somewhat awkward together.

“I’m very glad I’m not the only one,” he says. He comes across the room, and holds out a hand. “Aiden Gold. I’m a friend of Jefferson and Carrie’s.”

“Belle French. I’ve known Jefferson a long time; Carrie’s more of a friend of a friend.”

“You’re here alone?” he asks.

Belle nods. “You?”

“Same.” There’s a long pause, neither of them really knowing what to say next. It’s one thing meeting someone for the first time and getting to know them, and that’s nerve-wracking enough in itself, but meeting someone in circumstances like these, standing in a kitchen when there’s sex and other distinctly adult pursuits going on all around, is something else entirely.

“You were in Jefferson’s room earlier,” Gold says. “We saw each other in there. I gather that you don’t like to participate?”

“I’ve always preferred to watch,” Belle admits. “I’m not averse to taking part myself by any means. I don’t just like to watch, but it’s what I’ve always enjoyed most. I’m not sure whether that’s down to unfortunate experience or if it’s just the way I am. What about you?”

“I’ve always been more inclined towards visual stimulation,” Gold says. “I think there’s a degree of safety in knowing that you’re alone. At least you know that you know what you like and you know how to get it.”

Belle can’t agree more. “And there’s something so much more intense about seeing it in the flesh, rather than on a screen.”

“Exactly.”

Belle knows that she has definitely found a kindred spirit in Aiden. What she doesn’t know is what she’s going to do with this information now that she has it. She’s been looking for someone who shares her kink for a long time now, and she’s finally found him. She’s never planned any further than that, never thinking that she would be able to actually find someone who likes to watch just like she does.

She knows that if Jefferson were here, he’d be telling her to go for it, to get to know the man a little better and to see where it goes and see if any sparks fly. This would seem to be the perfect place to do it, after all. What happens at the party, stays at the party, and there are no strings attached here. And it’s not like her path and Aiden’s will cross all that much in the town if it turns out that they aren’t compatible after all. He will return to being the taciturn antiques dealer and she will return to being the librarian, everything will be the same and everyone will continue to think of them as slightly odd.

Belle takes a sip of her water and shakes her head, turning away and looking at the fridge, seeing herself very vaguely reflected in the sleek metal door. She didn’t come here looking for anything other than the chance to watch the others. She certainly wasn’t looking for a connection or a hook-up with anyone. This opportunity presenting itself has completely thrown her off balance, and she needs time to think.

“Ah, I see that you two have met.”

Jefferson enters the room, and there’s such a Cheshire Cat grin on his face that Belle almost thinks that he orchestrated and engineered their meeting down to the exact second. She wouldn’t put it past him.

“Yes, we’ve met,” Aiden says levelly. “I helped myself to tea, Jefferson, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Stealing my teabags, what is the world coming to?” Jefferson slaps a hand against his forehead in mock distress. “Yes, you’re always welcome to tea, Aiden, but I swear only you would make yourself a cup at a party of this nature. Anyone would think that we were boring you.”

“Not at all, Jefferson. I’m just not as young a man as I used to be and I need to fortify myself. We can’t all keep up with your youthful vigour, it’s exhausting just to watch you.”

Belle has to smile. She likes Aiden. Finding someone who can match wits with Jefferson is always a delight.

“You do yourself a great disservice, Mr Gold,” Jefferson says. “I’m sure there’s a lot more vigour underneath that suit than you think.”

Aiden just raises an eyebrow and Jefferson gives him a saucy wink.

“You’re a dear friend, Jeff, but you’re not my type.”

“Ah well, I can live in hope. I think that we’re about ready for round two, if you’re interested, Belle,” he adds, turning to her. “Unless of course Ana and Will have started without me, which they have a tendency to do. Young love, can’t keep their hands off each other.”

Belle looks from Jefferson to Aiden and back again.

“I might come in a little while,” she says. Now that she’s tracked down her mystery man, she wants to get to know a bit more about him. It seems silly; she came to this party for one reason and now she’s avoiding that in favour of spending more time with a man she’s barely met.

“Well, you’re always welcome. I hope you two are having fun.”

Belle nods. “I am.”

Aiden is as enigmatic as always, but there’s definitely a smile on his face. Once they’re left alone, Belle takes the plunge and chances to move a little closer. Not too close, not suggestively close, but close enough to be invested in whatever conversation might ensue. The only problem is that she has absolutely no idea what to say to him now. How do you start a conversation when the last thing that you were talking about were sexual preferences and voyeurism? It’s hard to go back to small talk after that. It seems like Jefferson’s appearance, as well-meaning as it undoubtedly was, has thrown them off their stride somewhat.

“Would you like some tea, too?” Aiden asks.

Belle shakes her head, then nods. Drinking tea makes it more like an ordinary conversation; it takes the strangeness away from their circumstances. Of course, Carrie and Jefferson would probably despair of them, but Belle realises, as she sits at the kitchen table and Aiden brings another cup of tea over, that she really doesn’t mind. Certainly, she came to this party with only one thing in mind, but that doesn’t mean that she can’t change her mind about what she wants to do. Jefferson wanted her to come and have fun, and she is having fun, getting to know this man and peeling back the metaphorical layers.

Of course, peeling back the physical layers would be rather fun too. Now that they’re in the kitchen with proper lighting, Belle can really appraise him in a way that she couldn’t before. He’s older, but then she already knew that. It doesn’t diminish his attractiveness in any way. Age suggests experience, and the hope of satisfaction. He takes a sip of tea and his tongue darts out over his lips, and Belle finds herself unconsciously mimicking him, wondering what that tongue could do against her own mouth, and against certain other parts of her. He’s got long fingers, ideal for the delicate work needed in restoring antiques, and Belle has to wonder what else they’re good for.

A little frisson of excitement rushes down her spine to her core, and she wriggles a little in her seat. Aiden notices, there’s no way he couldn’t have, and she can see that there’s something in his dark brown eyes that makes her think he’s feeling exactly the same way.

Despite the anticipation that’s growing between her legs, Belle feels no desire to act on it just yet. The more they sit here with their tea, and the more they talk, the more this unspoken thing between them grows. She first felt it in Jefferson’s bedroom, and now it’s just becoming more intense, even as they talk about the ordinary and mundane; genial chatter about the work they do when they’re not attending discreet private gatherings.

At length, though, the talk peters out. Archie comes in and collects some supplies for Ruby and Dorothy; he says hello but he doesn’t linger. Carrie peers into the room and is quickly pulled back by Ursula, with dramatic hisses to leave the two of them alone. In their own way, they’ve become something of a spectacle in themselves, going from the watchers to the watched, and it gives her an idea.

“Shall we go somewhere quieter?” she asks, and she glances out towards the garden and the pool. No-one else is outside; everyone seems content to stay in the rooms that they have ended up in.

Aiden smiles, a knowing smile that she thinks shows that they’re definitely on the same wave length.

“I think that would be an excellent idea, Belle.”

He takes the time to rinse their teacups before they head out of the kitchen back door to the terrace with the pool. It’s a warm enough evening, not much in the way of breeze to make things too cold for sitting outside. Jefferson has thoughtfully provided some towels neatly folded on a sun lounger, and the lights on in the pool make it look quite inviting and magical, like something out of a fantasy lagoon. She’s somewhat saddened that she didn’t bring her bikini. Then again… She looks back over her shoulder at the house, knowing everything that’s happening inside. That’s probably the entire point.

She goes over to the water’s edge and kicks her shoes off, sitting down and dabbling her toes in the water, and she pats the tiles next to her to get Aiden to join her. He doesn’t come over immediately, and when he does, he doesn’t take his shoes off and just stretches his legs out along the edge of the pool.

“The water’s lovely,” Belle says.

Aiden shakes his head. “My ankle isn’t.”

“Fair enough.”

Belle looks back towards the house. The curtains across the French doors in the living room have not been pulled fully, and she can see Ursula and Carrie inside, making out on the sofa with slightly more abandon than they had before; perhaps they’ve turned the TV off knowing that they can do better themselves. Carrie’s hand is down Ursula’s trousers, and they certainly seem oblivious to their observers on the other side of the glass.

“Are you glad you decided to come?” Aiden asks presently, and although they’re both still watching what’s going on in the living room, she knows that their attention is wandering again, back to each other, looking for each other’s reactions.

“Yes,” Belle says definitively. “I’m glad I met you,” she adds.

He turns and looks at her, as if she’s said something extraordinary.

“I’m glad I met you, too.”

They’re very close now, closer than they had been in the kitchen, their shoulders brushing, and Belle wonders if it’s too soon to go in for a kiss. Perhaps if they were anywhere else, then she would think so, but she’s been aroused and on the edge all evening, ever since that first moment in Jefferson’s room watching the threesome. It’s a slightly awkward angle, but nevertheless, she leans in, and when their lips meet, Aiden welcomes her readily, not pulling away but pressing his mouth against hers eagerly, until he loses his balance and almost ends up in the water.

He gives a sigh, then draws up his feet and begins to undo his shoelaces. “Screw it.”

Belle can see the lines of an ankle brace under his sock, and he pauses before he removes it.

“I had a car accident a few years ago,” he says. “There’s a lot of scar tissue.”

Belle shrugs. “It’s just scarring. It’s hardly going to be a dealbreaker.”

Aiden tugs his trouser legs up a bit and removes the brace, revealing the web of twisted, discoloured skin. It’s worse than she was expecting, and Belle gives a little gasp.

“I’m sorry, I…” He goes to put the brace back on, but Belle holds out a hand to stop him.

“No, no, it’s not ugly,” she says. “It just… it looks painful, that’s all.”

Aiden shakes his head with a smile and plunges his feet down into the warm pool water.

“No, it doesn’t hurt. The joint’s weak and it aches sometimes; hence the brace. But it’s all right now.”

Properly side by side now, they can get closer and the angle is much easier, and this time it’s Aiden who initiates the kiss. It’s a little tentative, but then his tongue is pressing at the seam of her lips and Belle opens for him readily, letting him explore her mouth. It’s been a long time since she kissed someone with quite as much fervour as this, and it’s hopefully a promise of good things to come. She would hate to be disappointed now, and in much the same way, she would hate to disappoint Aiden. It’s been a long time for both of them, she knows that much from their conversation.

She’s a little breathless as they finally break away, and Belle can feel her heart pounding in her chest with excitement at the prospect of going further. She’s just not entirely sure how to go about initiating it, in someone else’s house, in someone else’s pool.

But then, she thinks, that’s the point. Being able to let go of her inhibitions is one of the reasons she’s come here in the first place, and if she hadn’t come here, then she would never have met Aiden and never have been in this position. Yes, there’s definitely a swell of courage inside, which then translates into a fresh wave of arousal.

She glances over Aiden’s shoulder back towards the living room, where Carrie and Ursula are still engrossed in each other’s company, and not paying the pool outside any attention.

“You like to watch, don’t you,” she says to Aiden, and he nods, his eyes darkened with lust.

“Would you like to watch me?”

Feeling bold, she gets to her feet again and unzips her dress, pushing it down off her shoulders and kicking it off to the side. She’s quite glad she put nice underwear on now, even if she hadn’t expected anyone to see it when she first arrived.

It’s clear that Aiden’s impressed with her little performance.

“Oh, I would definitely like to watch you,” he growls.

Belle looks over at the pool, and then down at her bra and panties, in jewel green silk with delicate lace edging. It’s really not something that she wants to get dunked in a swimming pool, and she has to wear it home again later. Aiden’s eyes are still on her intently, and she turns her back, giving him a coy little smile over her shoulder as she unhooks her bra and slips her panties down her legs. It’s not as if she’s never been skinny-dipping before, albeit that was back in her college days and a lot of alcohol had been imbibed before the group of them had decided to head out to the sea. Right now, she’s sober as a judge, and Aiden is still looking at her like she’s the most beautiful thing in the world, which is certainly a confidence boost if ever there was one.

She saunters a little further down the pool, so that she can jump in at the deep end and not risk splashing what is probably a designer suit. When she surfaces, Aiden is still watching her, and she swims back towards him. She can stand on the bottom here, and the surface of the water just reaches her nipples, warm water and cool night air and general attraction to the man in front of her making them hard and puckered.

“So what do you think?” she asks.

“You’re by far the loveliest thing that I’ve seen tonight.”

She thinks it’s being outside that’s made them so bold, away from the rest of the party, and although Belle knows that anyone could come out and interrupt them at any moment, she wants to keep going.

“You know, the water’s lovely,” she says. “You should join me. And you know that I like to watch too.”

Aiden says nothing, and just gives her a sly grin as he levers himself to his feet and begins to peel away the layers of his suit, revealing more of himself than just skin as he goes down. Around the town, no-one has ever seen the mysterious Mr Gold in anything less than a three-piece suit, and now Belle is getting to see beneath the armour that he wears.

Finally, he’s naked too, and Belle can see that his cock is definitely taking an interest in the proceedings. He lowers himself into the water and wades over to her, moving a wet lock of hair over her shoulder. Belle realises that all the care and effort she put into getting ready is now as good as ruined, and her make-up is probably running horrifically, but she can’t really bring herself to care at that point.

“To your liking?” Aiden asks.

“Very much so.” Belle goes up on her tiptoes and kisses him again, slipping her arms around his neck and pressing her chest up close against his, so that he can feel her erect nipples. His hands splay over her back, pulling her in against him, slipping and sliding on her wet skin and eventually coming down below the water to rest on her ass, and Belle grins. They’re definitely both on the same page here, and perhaps there’s more fun to be had. She wriggles out of his arms and swims a little further away, out towards the deep end of the pool, beckoning him to follow her, a catch me if you can situation. Now that they’re in the water, Belle has a little more confidence. It’s not that they can’t see anything, the water is clear and well lit and they’re both completely bare, but being in the pool gives the intensity more of a playful feel. She can’t deny that what’s happening between them is happening very quickly, and as much as she wants to go further, a little time to slow down and make sure that they’re completely relaxed with each other isn’t going to go amiss. It’s not like they’re on a time limit, after all, they’re here until Jefferson decides to kick them out, which probably won’t be until the next morning. From what she’s heard from him about these little gatherings, they tend to break up of their own accord in the early hours, and most people end up staying the night since there are comfortable beds and sofas to be had, so why move from where they’ve been all evening anyway?

Belle was never really one for one-night stands, so this is new ground for her. Of course, there’s nothing that says it has to be a one-night stand, but considering the circumstances it’s best not to go in with too many assumptions. Aiden isn’t exactly a stranger, she knew who he was before the party so it’s not like they’ve only just laid eyes on each other for the first time, but she hasn’t known him anywhere near as long or as closely as she has other partners before she got wet and naked with them. All the same, she feels at ease with him and she knows that they both came here with the same intention. All that is happening now is a very welcome bonus.

It’s clear that Aiden is not the most athletic of swimmers, but he doggedly paddles after her, grabbing her with an arm around her waist and pulling her in for another kiss, but it’s brief as he’s panting where he’s treading water. Belle takes pity on him and takes his hand, swimming back down to the shallow end until he can get his feet on the bottom. She’s a few inches shorter than him without her heels and bobs about beside him for a while until he pulls her in close again, his hands finding her thighs and encouraging her to wrap her legs around him. It’s quite an erotic sensation, and Belle can quite see why the notion of romantic lovers going skinny dipping has such a reputation.

“You know, we probably shouldn’t do it in the pool,” Belle says. Not only would it be an exercise in logistics, it wouldn’t be great for her intimate health either. “I really don’t think this was what Jefferson had in mind when he opened up the pool for the evening.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Aiden’s smile is cheeky, almost schoolboy-ish. “He’s a fairly open-minded sort. But you’re right, it’s not exactly hygienic. Who knows who might have been in here before us?”

Belle laughs, and with a little reluctance, she unhooks her legs from around his back and swims over to the steps. She watches him over her shoulder as she climbs out of the pool, watching his eyes on her ass as the water runs off her body, and she sways her hips suggestively.

“Enjoying the show?”

“You have no idea.”

Now that she’s dripping, the air outside the pool feels a lot colder, and Belle breaks out in gooseflesh all over, grabbing one of the fluffy towels from the sun lounger and wrapping up in it quickly as she watches Aiden pull himself out of the pool. It’s not exactly the stuff of a Bond film, but she’s not at all disappointed in his body. Slim, smooth chest with a wiry strength, with a bit of the softness of middle age around his middle, lightly tanned skin glistening in the moonlight and the lights from the pool.

They dry off quickly and efficiently, more out of a desire to warm up than anything else, but once the breeze is no longer so chilling on their skin, the same heavy looks of desire start to pass between them again.

“Do you want to go back inside and find a room?” Aiden asks.

Belle looks over at the house, and thinks about the other rooms and the other people in them, probably oblivious to what’s happening out here by the pool. Despite being out in the open air and with a direct sight line into the living room, there’s a sense of quiet and privacy out here.

“No, I’m ok to stay out here if you are.”

“I’m fine out here. I think there’s something to be said for sex under the stars.”

It sounds cheesy and poetic and it makes Belle giggle. Aiden spreads out a dry towel over the other sun lounger.

“I figure it would be more comfortable than the tiles.”

Belle nods. Aiden’s towel is wrapped around his hips tightly and she can see the stirrings of his cock beneath it, his previous erection having flagged in the water.

“Have you got condoms?” she asks.

“Yes. Hold on.”

He pads carefully around the pool and rummages in his jacket before coming up with a couple of foil wrappers. He’s limping a little more without the ankle brace, and when he comes back, Belle pushes him down gently onto the lounger. He doesn’t protest, just watching her with those deep, dark eyes as she drops her towel and lets him look his fill. For the first time she feels exposed and self-conscious, and she can feel the heat rising in her cheeks and over her chest, but then Aiden discards his own towel and there’s a moment of balance, both at their most naked and vulnerable, and accepting of that.

Aiden takes her hands and pulls her down into his lap, his kisses fervent and hungry, his arms coming around her back to get her as close as he can, and Belle’s more than happy to oblige, pressing in close, their damp skin sliding together. He tastes of the pool, but it doesn’t put her off; she knows she does too. His hands come back down to her ass, and Belle runs her own down his chest, scraping her fingernails over his nipples and making him hiss; she looks up in alarm but his eyes are narrowed with pleasure and he nods.

“Do that again.”

His voice is rough and husky with mounting arousal, and Belle teases his nipples again, hoping that he’ll return the treatment. He gives her ass cheeks a firm squeeze but then sure enough comes up to her breasts, cupping and massaging them and flicking at her nipples. Belle wriggles with arousal on top of him, and she feels Aiden’s hips twitch beneath her as his cock reacts to her movement, her hot core so close to him. He leans forward and takes one nipple between his lips, and it makes Belle throw her head back with a moan, just bracing her hands against his chest whilst she gives into the wonderful sensation.

As he moves to her other breast, Belle feels his hands slide back down her body, one coming to rest tentatively between her legs, running his thumb gently over her mound and close trimmed pubic hair.

“Go on,” she encourages. “Touch me, please, Aiden.”

She already knows he has clever fingers, and she’s already wondered about what they’d feel like on her, and now, with permission given, he matches reality to fantasy in the most wonderful way, his fingers sliding into her cleft and opening her up, deft little touches coaxing her swollen clit out to rub circles around and over it, sending a fresh pulse of pleasure through her veins with every touch until she feels rather bereft when he moves away from her clit, down to her entrance where she’s already getting wet and ready again. He dips one finger inside, spreading around her slippery juices and stroking along her folds, up to her clit, back to her entrance and pushing inside again, going a little deeper each time; Belle clutches around nothing as he pulls his finger out each time, wanting more and more, wanting him to touch her everywhere at the same time.

“Tell me what you need, Belle,” he growls. “Tell me what you want. I want to know what makes you feel good.”

“All of it,” Belle manages to say. Her breathing is heavy and her hips are bucking up against his hand, wanting more and more from him, as much as he’ll give. She’s too far gone to speak or think coherently, she just knows that what he’s doing feels amazing and she needs more of it.

He pushes a finger deep inside and gradually adds a second, stretching her as he curls his fingertips to stroke her inner walls. He’s almost at that sweet spot inside, but not quite, not enough to bring her over the edge, and she’s almost desperate for the release now. It feels good, but just not enough to bring her over. She needs something more, just one more touch in the right place.

“Clit,” she gasps. “Touch my clit again. I’m so close…”

His other hand moves from where it’s been on her butt, keeping her steady, and then she feels a fingertip against her clit, tracing a slow circle. She closes her eyes, the pleasure building deep inside and almost spilling over.

“Faster, please.”

Aiden’s pace increases and she tips over the edge, coming with a squeal that becomes a moan as he continues to touch her, stroking her inner walls as he gradually pulls his fingers out. Belle slumps down against his chest, resting her forehead against his shoulder whilst she gets her breath back and comes back to her senses. She breathes in the smell of his skin, traces of chlorine and the faint hints of what remains of his expensive aftershave, and she kisses her way up from his shoulder, up his neck and over his jaw until she can capture his lips again.

He opens for her eagerly, tongue touching hers, and she runs her hands back down his chest towards his cock, hot and hard and very ready for her touch. She wraps her hand around his length and strokes up and down, rubbing her thumb over the flushed head and watching his eyes flutter closed with the sensation.

“Oh yes, Belle, yes, that feels so good.”

She reaches for a condom and rolls it on, giving him another stroke before coming down to cradle his heavy balls.

“Ready?” she asks, although from the fact he’s rock hard in her hand and his breathing is already hitching, she thinks she has her answer already. He nods.

“More than ready.”

Belle rises up on her knees and Aiden takes hold of his cock to help line them up, and Belle sinks down onto him as far as she can take him. He’s surprisingly thick for his build, and she can’t take him down to the hilt on this first time.

She’s already wondering if there might be a second time further down the line in the future.

Belle begins to rock her hips, rising and falling in a steady rhythm, and Aiden’s body jerks up towards her, bringing him closer and closer and encouraging her to move faster. His fingers are digging into her ass, and hers are digging into his chest where she’s braced against him, and his head is thrown back against the lounger in pure orgasmic pleasure.

“Fuck!”

His bucking hips finally still, but Belle keeps moving on him as he spills, milking him dry. After a few more moments, she can feel the change of pressure inside as he begins to soften, and he grabs the base of the condom as she moves off him and lets him slip out. There’s a heavy silence broken only by their panting as Aiden gets the condom off, and then he pulls Belle back in against his chest, gazing at her through dark and sated eyes.

“Thank you,” Belle says eventually.

“Oh no, I think that the pleasure was all mine.”

They both chuckle at the old joke.

“I didn’t expect to be getting a mind-blowing orgasm when I came here,” Belle admits.

Aiden shakes his head. “Neither did I.”

Neither of them had had any intention of participating in any of the activities going on in the house, but since they met each other, whether by chance or by design on the part of Jefferson and Carrie, the desire to scratch that itch with another person has increased. As much as Belle has very much enjoyed watching what she has watched, it’s been a very nice and unexpected surprise to find a partner here.

“Although, I think we may have gathered an audience.”

Belle glances over her shoulder towards the living room, where the curtains don’t meet. She knew that it was a possibility ever since they came out here, and she’d wanted to carry on out here rather than find somewhere they could be assured privacy. She’s surprisingly ok with it. She’s always liked to watch, but never really given much thought to what it would be like to be watched.

Carrie and Ursula are still on the sofa, watching them, and she can make out the figure of Jefferson in his robe standing in the doorway beyond. Carrie looks like she’s smirking; whatever plan the two of them drew up has come to fruition and they’re looking at the results of it. Just as long as Jefferson doesn’t applaud, she’ll be fine.

The air is getting colder now that the night is wearing on, and although Aiden’s body is warm beneath her, the sweat that they worked up together is beginning to cool and prickle, and Belle’s skin feels dry from the pool water. She’s getting goose pimples on her arms and legs again, and as much as she wants to stay here feeling deliciously sated, she has to move. She grabs their towels from the bottom of the lounger and wraps hers around herself before going back to her clothes.

This would be the perfect opportunity for round two, she feels. If they were an established couple then they would decamp to the bathroom and share a shower to warm up and get rid of the chlorine, and she glances over at Aiden, wondering if he’s thinking the same thing.

He shakes his head.

“It is tempting,” he admits. “But it’s not practical. Not with my ankle. Showering’s precarious enough on its own, but having my brains dribbling out of my ears with lust at the same time is just inviting trouble, I think. I’m sorry.”

Belle smiles.

“There’s no need to apologise. You know Jefferson’s rules. Stay safe. He’d kill us if we managed to end up with any broken bones on his watch.”

Aiden laughs as they begin to dress again. Glancing over her shoulder Belle can see that their little audience is no longer engrossed by the spectacle going on outside.

“We’d never be invited back, that’s for sure.”

The possibility of meeting again at another party is definitely an enticing one. But why wait for that opportunity? They both know each other, and they all live in the same area.

It’s been an evening of being brave and bold, and they have just shared mind-blowing sex. Once Belle’s fully dressed again, she decides that she might as well ask the question.

“Can I see you again? Outside of the party, I mean. You know, like a proper date. Not that this wasn’t a wonderful first date, but I think it would be nice to see each other in more socially conventional circumstances. If you want to, of course.”

Aiden nods.

“Yes, I’d like that. Dinner at Marco’s sometime?”

Belle smiles. “That sounds perfect.”

They exchange numbers, and if it weren’t for her rat-tailed hair and the warmth between her legs, Belle could almost believe that they’d just met casually at a bar somewhere. Once they make their way back inside, she’s reminded of the situation that led to their meeting, and she has to grin. She never expected that her kink would bring her together with someone, but she’s incredibly glad that it has.

Leroy and Astrid are leaving as Belle and Aiden make their way back inside. Leroy takes one look at their dishevelled appearance and gives Belle a knowing look. Maybe before she might have blushed, but she knows that everything that happens at the party, stays at the party.

Unless, of course, one happens to take what happens at the party and turn it into the beginning of a relationship. Not that way that most couples start out, and Belle’s not quite sure what she’ll tell her dad if he ever asks how they met, but for their unconventional tastes, an unconventional start is perhaps just what they need.

The gathering is still in full swing, but Belle decides it’s time to take her leave. She wants to get home, shower in her own bathroom with all her own products to hand. Jefferson is in the kitchen; Will and Ana are having some time alone.

“They’ve worn me out,” he complains, but the sly grin on his face means that he’s anything but displeased. “Anyway, are you glad you came in the end?”

Belle thinks back to the glorious orgasm outside by the pool, the first she’s had with a partner for a very long time.

“Oh yes, Jefferson. Very glad.”


End file.
